The invention generally relates to the field of telecommunications. The invention particularly relates to a method and system of call origination utilizing a service circuit node (SCN) in an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN).
As the world of telecommunications becomes increasingly more sophisticated, society reaps the benefits through new, improved, and/or enhanced telecommunication services, as well as more service choices. These enhanced telecommunication services include, for example, originating call screening, flexible call forwarding (FCF), audio name screening, deluxe calling name delivery, and voice activated dialing (VAD). These enhanced telecommunication services are available to a user of a modem public switched telephone network (PSTN) and are considered valuable services by many subscribers because they enhance conventional telephone service.
As an example, when VAD service is activated by a subscriber or customer, the VAD service prompts the subscriber to utter a word, phrase, or term and translates that speech into a destination calling line number that corresponds to the desired called party. Typically, the subscriber must activate the VAD service by entering a feature code or dialing a feature directory number. Once the speech recognition is performed, an outbound call is placed through the PSTN, which bridges the call between the subscriber and the called party. However, bridging the call in such a manner does not preserve subscriber billing and interexchange carrier preferences (IXC).
The freedom to choose among a variety of interexchange carriers (IXCs) has become an important aspect of modem telephone service. An IXC is a telephone company that provides connections between local exchanges in different geographic areas. IXCs are commonly referred to as xe2x80x9clong-distance carriersxe2x80x9d and include ATandT, MCI, Sprint, and others. IXCs provide interLATA service as described in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. LATA (local access and transport area) is a term in the U.S. for a geographic area covered by one or more local telephone companies, which are referred to as local exchange carriers (LECs). A connection between two local exchanges within the LATA is referred to as intraLATA. A connection between a carrier in one LATA to a carrier in another LATA is referred to as interLATA. Because of increased competition and regulatory mandate, it has become increasingly important to preserve a subscriber""s billing and IXC preferences for each call originated by the subscriber.
When a calling party picks up a telephone on a subscriber""s line and dials a directory number, the subscriber""s line carries the communication to a central office switch, or service switching point (SSP), that services the subscriber""s line. The central office switch interprets the digits dialed by the calling party and routes the communication to a terminating station, such as a telephone associated with the dialed directory number. The central office switch thus serves as a gateway between the subscriber""s line and the local exchange carrier""s local exchange network. The central office switch also serves as a gateway between the subscriber""s line and a plurality of long distance networks operated by a plurality of long distance carriers.
When the central office switch receives a long distance communication originating on the subscriber""s line, the central office switch retrieves the subscriber""s long distance carrier-of-record code from a database maintained at the central office switch. Typically, the central office switch responds to the subscriber""s long distance carrier-of-record code by physically routing the communication through the long distance network operated by the long distance carrier-of-record.
However, this process is not as simple when the subscriber wishes to activate certain types of assistance, such as voice activated dialing or outgoing call screening, when originating a call. Typically, the service circuit node (SCN) where the assistance is activated would complete the call to the called party and bridge the subscriber and the called party, but this would not preserve subscriber preferences because the outbound leg is originating with the SCN and not the subscriber. Therefore, there is a need for a method and system of call origination, where certain types of assistance are required, that preserves subscriber billing and IXC preferences.
The present invention satisfies the above-described needs by providing a method and system of call origination on behalf of a subscriber using a service circuit node (SCN) in an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). Generally described, in an embodiment of the present invention, an SCN provides assistance in the origination of a call on behalf of a subscriber. The exact form of the assistance is not particularly significant to the present invention, but examples are given below. Upon completion of the assistance provided by the SCN, the SCN will attempt to originate a call to a third party on behalf of the subscriber. Advantageously, this invention preserves subscriber preferences for certain attributes including interexchange carrier (IXC) and billing information, without the need for data replication within either the SCN or the service switching point (SSP) hosting the SCN.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for call origination using an SCN in the AIN connected to the PSTN. This invention includes the provision of certain types of assistance required in originating a call from a subscriber to a third party. The form of assistance may include, but is not limited to, voice activated dialing, outgoing call screening, or conference call services. One manner in which the subscriber may access the assistance is by dialing a feature code such as *TALK or #411.
In an embodiment, a subscriber places a call to a third party. The subscriber activates the phone, for example, by taking it off hook. Upon encountering such a trigger, the SSP serving the subscriber sends a message to the SCP serving the subscriber. Service logic in the SCP will result in the SCP instructing the SSP to route the call to the SCN. This action triggers service logic within the SCN, and upon completion of the service logic, the SCN will attempt to originate a call. The SCN will originate a call with the subscriber as the xe2x80x9cvirtual called partyxe2x80x9d and the third party as the xe2x80x9cvirtual calling party.xe2x80x9d
The call is then routed back to the SSP serving the subscriber. Upon arriving at the SSP serving the subscriber, the outbound leg will encounter a termination attempt trigger (TAT). Service logic in an SCP will examine the parameters associated with this call leg and determine whether the originator of the call leg is a known SCN. The SCP will respond with a forward call message specifying the third party as the xe2x80x9cactual called partyxe2x80x9d and the subscriber as the xe2x80x9cactual calling party.xe2x80x9d Significant aspects of this embodiment include the preservation of subscriber billing and PIC information as a result of the call forwarding operation and the use of a TAT and call forwarding as part of a method of call origination.